The LuxMob Info Tags

A heart rate monitor is an indispensable performance partner, and aerobic ally. The device puts an end to exercise guessing games, by zoning in on exercise intensity, tracking cardio capacity, and keeping tabs on the general efficiency of your efforts. The data generated by a heart rate monitor acts as a reliable compass to enable you to reach your fitness goals.

Heart Rate Monitor Secret One - Fitness Feedback

Establishing your cardiovascular fitness level, based on factors such as age, weight, activity, and heart rate, is sensible before you start an exercise program. A quality heart rate monitor should include this feature. An additional benefit is that it provides you with a fitness baseline, for gauging improvement over time. It will also give you an idea of how fit you are, compared to the other magnificently muscled specimens of your age out there…

Heart Rate Monitor Secret Two - Measuring Motivation

The digits on a heart rate monitor have an astounding ability to activate your motivation button! This is especially true if you train on your own. A well-chosen device will detail exactly what is expected of you, and what you have to do to get there. The data the monitor constantly spews out keeps you on track to reach your exercise goals. A positive progress report from the heart rate monitor pushes you to improve your performance during each workout.

Heart Rate Monitor Secret Three - Pinpoints Perfect Pace

Pace depends on a wide variety of physical and external factors, such as your route, the weather, a new routine, or a rocky personal patch. Every fitness buff knows how easily the body can manipulate you into believing that you are really stretching yourself, while your true performance may be discouragingly dismal… With the feedback offered by a heart rate monitor, subjective judgements are balanced by objective fact. Time and again, this innocent-looking little device will motivate you to wearily trudge back to your targeted range.

Heart Rate Monitor Secret Four - Exercise Efficiency

If you have just been converted to the fitness fraternity, you may still believe in the old adage of ‘no pain, no gain’. Your aim should rather be a gentler, sustained effort at your targeted heart rate, for a period of about 30 minutes. This is where the value of your heart rate monitor lies. By enabling you to stay on target, at the most beneficial exertion rate, the results of your super-efficient workout efforts will be noticeable within a short period.

Heart Rate Monitor Secret Five - Calorie Crunching Companion

Weight management, or weight loss, often features in fitness planning. A heart rate monitor with the capacity to support you in your efforts, can guide you toward your goal weight, and helps to keep you there. Some ranges, such as Polar, even have dedicated weight management monitors.

Using a heart rate monitor as part of a weight loss program, can include keeping track of calorie intake, as well as monitoring any form of activity during the day. In addition, your target heart rate range can be calculated automatically, to enable you to lose weight, and to use your exercise time as efficiently as possible. Once you reach your goal weight, your heart rate monitor can be used to come up with a new, personalized program for weight maintenance.

Heart Rate Monitor Secret Six - Mentor Mentality

The beauty of a heart rate monitor is that it acts as a mentor, with your best interest at heart, so to speak. Once your target heart rate for a productive training session has been established, your practicing partner watches you like a hawk. If you are a bit slack, and don’t maintain the perfect pace to remain on target, your heart rate monitor gives you a stern wake-up call!

If you are a procrastinator, make sure you get a heart rate monitor that doesn’t give you the opportunity to postpone your workouts. There is magic in a monitor mentor that tells you exactly when to gear up, what to do, and then doesn’t let you off the hook for the duration of the session…

If you have any health concerns, it is a good idea to check in with a health practitioner before you start a training program. To help you to find a balance between injury causing over-training, and ineffective under-training, a heart rate monitor is a good investment.

What Happens When You Are Under Pressure?

We have all been there. Cash flow is a little lean and you are
really starting to hate eating Blue Box Kraft Dinner. Murphy’s
Law also means a potential customer will NOW call you and want
you to drop your rates…right down to the bottom of the barrel.
Do you do this “just once” and relieve the financial pressure?
Or do you walk away?

Learn To Value Your Product And Win Customers Too!

Remember in sales - it is all about Win/Win. Your customer may
be happy that you “gave away the farm” but deep down you will
resent them for it. And resentment always shows itself! Plus I
don’t believe in doing this - you just attract more business
like it! However - there are going to be times when you will
consider some form of discounting. When a customer asks you for
some DISCOUNTS you have to ask yourself TWO IMPORTANT questions.

1) WHY SHOULD I DO THIS? If it is just about the money -
you are actually setting yourself up for failure. In business -
it must always be a great fit - between the customer and your
business.

2) HOW CAN I BENEFIT FROM THIS IN THE LONG RUN? Is this a
customer you want to do further business with? Are they going to
pay full price down the road after they have received the deal
of the century?

Learn The Art Of Negotiation

Hey remember - a diamond is only a piece of coal that did well
under pressure! If you have decided the client is a great fit,
and there are opportunities for future business - then say “I
would love to do this for you - however - I will require this
(fill in the blank) from you in return. ie/ If you purchase 3 or
more…if you commit to 2 or more sessions…if I can send
something to your database…if I can get an article in your
newsletter…and so on. Just remember you are in business and
you also have a right to make a profit.

How Do You Walk Away Gracefully?

Have you ever seen someone walk out of the bathroom with toilet
paper on their shoe…or worse…someone that has tucked their
skirt into their nylons? The view as they walk away isn’t so
great! If you have decided to turn down the business, then make
sure you aren’t defensive, nasty or too apologetic. Just say you
would love to do business with them, however, at this time your
schedule/rates won’t meet their needs. Then offer some other
options - give them someone to call, a website to visit etc.
that shows you are a professional.

One Last Diva Tip!

Remember - you don’t have to give an immediate answer. Tell the
potential customer that you need to “run some numbers or to have
a look at your schedule. Sleep on it - and if it doesn’t feel
right - then trust your gut.

Believe In The Value Of Your Business!

Copyright© 2005

It’s not hard to see why DVD players have taken the video world by storm. All you have to do is watch a movie on DVD and then watch that same movie on VHS tape instead. The difference can be startling. So just as CDs took over the audio world, DVDs are dominant in the video world, and DVD players are a staple of the home entertainment center, and certainly of a home theater setup too.

So what should you know when you shop for DVD players? Well, as with everything a lot depends on your budget but here are some of the features to look for when you buy a DVD player:

* In the electronics world, cable connections are very important and it’s no different with DVD players. Almost all DVD players come with a standard composite-video cable to connect the player to the TV, and this kind of cable can produce a decent picture. But it’s also very limiting because the black and white, and color video signals are all sent together through this cable and it’s easy for the colors to bleed over into other colors and lose detail and sharpness. If your DVD p[layer comes with a S-video cable this can dramatically improve the video as this cable can separate out the black and white from the color signals resulting in greater clarity. Finally if you get a DVD player that can use a component-video cable that can be the best yet because it also splits the color signal too, allowing even greater color range and detail.

* It’s good to have an aspect control feature on a DVD player too. Many DVD movies are coming now in different formats to fit whatever TV you have. The aspect control lets you take advantage of this and tune the movie to the specific ratio that best fits the size of your television screen.

* Some DVD players have multi-angle capability built in and that can be useful at times too. It doesn’t work with all DVDs, but with those that are compatible, it’s pretty cool. It actually allows you to adjust the picture angle so that you can view the action from different perspectives.

* Having surround sound decoding built into your DVD players can be very useful too, especially if you have a Dolby Digital receiver and at least six speakers to achieve the 5.1 surround sound effect. If your receiver does not have the Dolby 5.1 decoder built into it then you need to have it decoded by the DVD player before it is sent to the receiver. Once at the receiver the signal is amplified and distributed to the appropriate speakers in the room.
If you wish to use the more recent 6.1 and 7.1 surround sound systems you will need to have the decoder for that on your DVD player too, and either 7 or 8 speakers to match.

These are some of the features that can be most useful when you are playing DVDs, so look for them the next time you want to buy a DVD player.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including audio and video. You can find out more about best portable dvd player and portable dvd player reviews by visiting our Home Theater website.

Blog is a very important advancement for the modern days
whiz-peoples who is very busy to accumulate things from here and
there on the net. So I thought to put up a blog site so that
every home business owners can come at one place and share there
thoughts about their lives and their good going in their
internet businesses.

This would also help you to increase in web site traffic
instantly!

So Blog!

To get Noticed on the Web! To get Traffic! To learn New things!
To make new Friends! To Help each other!

“Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him”—1 John 2:15 (NAS). “Then he [Jesus] said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions”—Luke 12:15 (NIV). Christ has no time for those that are simply trying to store up treasures here on earth. Wealth can be lost instantly. In the end, it does not matter if you die a billionaire or a pauper—only how you answer “THE QUESTION” from Jesus “… who do you say I am?”—Matthew 16:15 and whether or not you’ve done your best to fulfill God’s purpose for your life.

Rick Warren states, “The purpose of your life is far greater than your own fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.” You are to live your life to honor and worship God. Worship God by doing everything in your life “for” and “with” Jesus. We are saved to serve. Serve out of gratitude for what Christ did for you on the cross. Through Christian serving, we make an investment in eternity.

Being good stewards of your finances is just one aspect of worshiping God. God will entrust more spiritual blessings to those who are responsible with their worldly wealth. Worldly wealth is left behind upon your death. Spiritual blessings are the true wealth. Spiritual blessings last forever. There will be no financial accounts in heaven; however, there will be an accounting of your life and the use of the time, talents, and treasure God has entrusted to you. We were put on this earth to serve like Jesus served, to give more than you receive. Do good because God is good. Do good to bring glory to God by pouring love into all of your service. Live with Jesus in every thought, habit, and expression. The Rev. John Wesley (founder of the Methodist Church) said, “Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

A Christian should be alive to the pain and suffering prevalent in this world today–a Christian should have a willing heart and desire to do something about it. “… his mother called him Jabez because, as she said, she had borne him in pain. Jabez called upon the God of Israel and said, ‘I pray thee, bless me and grant me wide territories. May thy hand be with me, and do me no harm, I pray thee, and let me be free from pain’; and God granted his petition”—1 Chronicles 4:9-10. The Apostle Paul states, “This is in accord with his [God’s] age-long purpose, which he achieved in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him we have access to God with freedom, in the confidence born of trust in him”—Ephesians 3:11-12.

As a Christian, God’s purpose for your life is to share the love of Christ. A purpose without a plan is useless. A plan without a strategy is futile. “I alone know my purpose for you, says the LORD: prosperity and not misfortune…”—Jeremiah 29:11. God has a plan for you and you alone. Jesus Christ is the accomplishment of God’s work uniquely planned just for you. God wants to richly bless you, so that you in turn can be a blessing to others.

This article is adapted from Making Money Work: A Christian Guide For Personal Finance with permission of Willie Glenn Page, Inc. copyright 2005.

Bill G. Page is the author of Making Money Work: A Christian Guide For Personal Finance. It is a book and CD ROM (ISBN 0-9764905-0-1) that combines the power of Biblical principles with modern day technology to empower people to become better stewards of God’s resources. The CD ROM helps you to easily calculate complicated personal financial formulas. It also helps you analyze, plan, track and achieve your financial goals. The book may be obtained through your local bookstore or it can be ordered online at http://www.MakingMoneyWork.us

A little on leadership…

Many people enter the leadership world through a position and a title, but we must understand that just owning a title doesn’t make you a leader. Being a leader is about influence. Your ability to lead resides in your ability to influence others around you to accomplish organizational objectives. It’s true that titles do initially command a certain amount of influence, but this influence is short lived. All a title buys you is time, nothing more, nothing less. This time can either increase your level of influence and lead, or diminish it and fail.

One of the most common mistakes of a Leader, both new and tenured, is to fall into the gravitational pull of positional leadership. I use the term gravitational because as a new leader, it’s pull represents the path of least resistance in the absence of training or experience. Many will learn, and escape, but others will remain committed to this methodology, unwilling to resist the pull through the belief that the approach is effective and is not to be challenged.

I suggest that this approach is fundamentally flawed based on my own experience and evolution as a leader. I made this mistake, and I took this journey, but I learned and was able to fight the pull. Whether you are positional, work for someone who is positional, or someone to whom a positional person reports to, commit deep thought to this topic. Properly understood, it will lead to your success; disregarded, it could lead struggle and hardship.

My story…

Before I had the opportunity to lead, I had the obligation to follow. As a follower within my organization, I viewed the leadership team, as the end all be all of positions. I viewed them as the powerful, core team of cogs that forced the business machine to function. I watched how they dressed, and admired the spoils of the position: nice offices, sophisticated two-way Skytel Pagers (before they became mainstream), expensive looking attaché bags concealing distressed leather planners concealing an arsenal of Mont Blanc’s, but most of all, I enjoyed the parting of the crowd as this larger than life team moved through our production areas. Many felt respect, many felt fear, and many envied what they saw.

It’s clear which category I fit into. I envied the position, title, and what those two items represented. I was fundamentally flawed in my admiration of these positionally anchored symbols of status. Only through a promotion and a lesson or two in life and leadership did I finally understand the errors of my ways.

I worked hard, and stood out above the crowd. My hard work paid off, and upon my first promotion to a senior position, I received my Skytel pager and master key. I’ll never forget the day. I had my position, title, and symbols of power. I knew I had arrived.

My mistakes…

But as a positional leader, by belief system was challenged by the fact that my results were not always desirable.

As a positional leader, I assumed my position guaranteed a form of “packaged” loyalty, ensuring commitment and dedication from my subordinates. As John Maxwell stated in “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”, “He that leadeth and has no followers is merely taking a walk.” One day while out leading I looked back, after giving a command or two, and realized that I was only taking a walk.

I also believed that as the chief, each member of my team was there to help me accomplish my objectives. My vision was to sit atop the metaphorical mountain dispensing my wisdom and wishes out upon the eager people who wished nothing more than to execute the plans, which they had no involvement in creating. One day while dispensing my wisdom to my people, I noticed I was alone. It seemed that I needed to get down off my mountain, and go find my people.

I thought as the leader, it was my job to rise above my people in the traditional way’s in which I had seen my “mentors” do before. I did not approach my team in a constructive format. I did not believe in mutual solutions and problem solving, but rather with harsh decisive accountability. I can’t tell you how many sups heard the mention of accountability, but never sincerely heard me ask how I could help.

Since I was clearly the one in charge, (I had my title, master key, and pager to prove it) I was afraid to admit when I was wrong or didn’t know an answer. I believed that to admit I didn’t know, was to admit that I wasn’t the leader. I thought that asking for help lowered my status on the totem pole of importance and that if I wasn’t careful, I would resemble those “people” that I tried to tower above. As a result, I made many mistakes that could have been avoided. An old boss once told me that if you try to fake an answer, the crowd would see right through you. I didn’t care as long as they could see my pager.

I believed that position dictated response, and title was not to be argued with. As a result, when department heads handed down orders or harsh misguided words for members of my team, I didn’t defend my people or clarify misunderstandings. My answer to the department heads was by usually agreeing that an action or response was unacceptable, and reassures them that I would address it with my team. I didn’t work for my own people, so as a result, they didn’t work as hard for me. My team saw me as not defending them, and as a result, did not view me as their leader. My team needed me, and I simply didn’t realize that.

Now fast-forward a year. Even though I was positionally oriented, I saw great results through hard line tactics and accountability. Actually, we broke company and client records, but the problem was that I couldn’t sustain the success. Slowly, after time, our results faded along with my influence. I didn’t use my time to increase my influence so it withered. As performance slowly eroded on the program, corporate “Smoke Jumpers” descended up the site to determine barriers to performance, evaluate staff, and create a solutions oriented approach for improvement. During one of these meetings my team was questioned on what they thought the problem was. This was their opportunity to give back some of the heat that I had been giving them for years. While the failure of the program was due to any single person, when they had audience to hear their concerns, they didn’t exactly sing my praises.

At this point, I learned what it meant to be positional, and realized that I fit the textbook definition. I realized that no matter our level of success, it could have been better. As for relationships, I realized if I was on fire on the production floor, I would get little assistance to put out the flames, although there would have probably been a crowd watching the warm glow has my career went up in flames.

That unit eventually closed and I was transferred to another segment within the same location. In this new position, I reflected, learned my mistakes, and was thankful to still be employed. I had a chance to start over with a new team, and work diligently at avoiding my prior habits, and mistakes. I fought the pull of being a positional leader and survived. Of course I made mistakes with my new team as well, but I’ll save that story for another time. If you feel the pull, resist at all cost. Remember, your position buys you time, nothing more, and nothing less, and time is running out!

If you are interest in leadership theory and practices then you need to visit: http://www.righttolead.com. Aubie Pouncey is a contributing writer and thinker for our organization. In addition, as a leader you may be interested in http://www.myleadershipsuccess.com

Mangosteen has been a big word in the herbal supplement arena
for quite some time the reason for this is the xanthone
flavonoids and other compounds found in Mangosteen. The xanthone flavonoids and other
compounds in Mangosteen fruit are responsible for its high level
of antioxidant activity. In vitro tests have been conducted on
XanoMax Mangosteen 10% extract to determine the level of
free radical scavenging ability in both watery and fatty
environments. A major test recognized as the industry standard
for measuring antioxidant activity is known as the ORAC (Oxygen
Radical Absorbance Capacity) assay.

The ORAC test is an in vitro assay that works by measuring the
amount of free radical damage done to a fluorescent probe
(measured by a change in probe intensity). Antioxidants lessen
the damage to the probe fluorescence, which indicates a
reduction in free radical damage. This measure is used to
quantify the antioxidant’s (or combination of antioxidants)
capacity to quench free radicals. This quantification is known
as the total ORAC value.

The total ORAC value provides a relative measure of total
antioxidant strength of any substance, allowing for comparison
of different mixtures. A high ORAC value corresponds to a high
total in vitro antioxidant capacity.

The development of the ORAC test has led to a number of commonly
eaten foods being assessed in terms of total ORAC scores per
serving. Similarly, particular combinations of antioxidants,
such as those in nutritional formulas, can also be assessed for
their total ORAC scores. This has led to the ability to
determine the potential usefulness of a particular supplement in
increasing overall antioxidant capacity.

When XanoMaxtm Mangosteen 10% extract was tested for ORAC value,
the resulting antioxidant potential was over 3,500 ORAC units
per gram of extract. This result is extremely high. ORAC values
of compounds vary with their nutrient concentration, moisture
content and other factors. For comparison purposes, whole
blueberries, considered to be a rich source of antioxidants, had
an ORAC value of 61 units per gram, while pomegranate tested at
105 ORAC units per gram.1 XanoMax Mangosteen extract
scoring at 3,500 ORAC units is a potentially rich source of
beneficial antioxidants to the body. Free radicals are produced
every day in the human body and an over abundance of free
radicals can damage cells. If enough cells get damaged one can
get cancer, organ damage and pre mature aging. Some say that
free radicals speed up the aging process and taking supplements
that have a high ORAC can help slow down the aging process and
help us look younger and live longer.

There are many vitamins and herbs on the market today that help
fight free radical damage in the body, Mangosteen just happens
to have one of the highest ORAC value for your money, give it a
try and see how you feel.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This
product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease.

Buying to let top 10 guide Buying to let This is where
most developers end up. Once executed, this can prove to be
money for old rope. Ok thats a bit pushing the point, but here i
can teach you some really useful tips on how to let with very
little fuss. The essetial element is to first consider the
previous chapters as just as important as the monthly cheque you
receive from your tennants. In effect the two are very much
releated. So re-read those chapters before you get to this
exciting chapter on how to but to let.

My 10 Steps to success Ok i’m going to make this very easy by
revealing my 10 steps. Follow this and you will succeed, ignore
a step and you may struggle. Here goes…

1. Find the right area to buy into and make some appointments
with local letting agents normally estate agents will be able to
offer help with letting too .

2. Once you’ve picked their brains to assess the state of the
lettings market (and discovered what type of properties are most
in demand) you can begin the house hunting game. Get several
viewings under your belt to get a feel of the market.

3. Talk to mortgage providers early on in the game to ensure
that you find the best deal. If you have a personal financial
advisor, they will do this service free of charge, use this free
service, it may save you money and time along with our useful
free development guide on this site.

4. Once you’ve found a suitable property put in an offer and be
patient. What you might think is a silly offer may prove to be a
bargain, remember you can always increase your offer.

5. When your offer on the property is accepted you’ll need to
get a licensed conveyor or a solicitor to deal with the legal
and financial paperwork.

6. This is the step that can seem to go on forever, the survey
and searches.You will also need to get it valued. Then you’ll be
in a position to finalise your mortgage arrangements with your
finance lender.

7. Who will property manage ? Once you’ve been handed the keys
you’ll need to decide whether you are happy to manage the
property yourself or if you want to hand it over to a letting
agent.

8. The chances are that the house will need some work doing on
it, so it’s best to get the workmen in there as soon as
possible. You will find our buying to let profit calculator
useful at this point.

9. If you’re planning to let the property furnished it makes
long-term sense to invest in solid/ robust furniture (ideally
carboot sales house clearances or local auctions are an ideal
way of sourcing good solid furniture without putting costs
through the roof).

10. Before your tenants take control of the property, do make
sure that they are clear on the terms of your contract to avoid
any later possible complications.

Anger is an emotional state caused by a real or perceived grievance (a cause of distress). You can be angry at other people, events, and even yourself. Physical conditions such as hunger, fatigue, pain, hormonal imbalances, and even sexual frustration can cause levels of anger to become elevated. Some even feel that genetic predisposition can cause some people to be more angry than others. Getting angry not only affects you emotionally, but physically as well. Your blood pressure increases, you have an increased level of adrenaline in your bloodstream and your heart beats faster. These are all natural responses to threats. It goes back to the basic fight or flight response that is programmed into each of us.

So, can we control our anger? The answer to that question is an overwhelming yes. With some basic techniques you can learn to manage your own anger levels. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t get angry at all. Many injustices and our own values give us valid reasons to become angry. What it does mean, though, is that you can control what angers you and how you respond.

The first step in taking command of your anger is to change your thinking. Believe it or not, changing some of your beliefs and expectations can decrease your anger immensely. When you expect people, including yourself, to behave a certain way and a different behavior surfaces, this can cause a great amount of anger. Perfectionist thinking causes a tremendous amount of anger as well. So, instead of expecting people to be flawless, give them a break, and give yourself one, too. If you don’t anticipate a perfect situation you won’t be angry when it doesn’t pan out.

Another way to help dissolve anger is to stop thinking in terms of always and never. Nothing is black or white; all or nothing. Everything is somewhere in between. If you get into the habit of thinking this way, you are less likely to become angry over any given situation. Of course, some situations are bound to cause anger, especially if you feel that something is unjust. But it is up to you how angry you get over any situation. You can be incensed or your can become enraged, but it is in your control.

A final way to prevent anger is don’t jump to conclusions. This can be one of the biggest causes of anger. Learn to talk out a situation instead of assuming you know the answer. No one is a mind reader. If you ask for clarification in a given situation you may be surprised to find out you misread the other person and their intentions. This can diffuse anger very quickly.

Remember, how you feel about any given situation is up to you and you alone. It stems back to your beliefs, values and expectations. Alter those and you can alter your anger levels.

Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Terry was diagnosed with bipolar ten years ago. She lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.

The Pistons’ new-found offense under Flip Saunders has blown a gasket these last two games in Cleveland while the Spurs’ once-suffocating defense has been shredded by the Dallas Mavericks in three consecutive games. The 2004 champs (Pistons) and the 2005 champs (Spurs) both lost last night on the road.

Detroit now finds itself in a 2-all tie with Cleveland after winning the first two games, while San Antonio finds itself in a 3-1 hole.

My free play for Tuesday is on the Hou Astros over the SF Giants at 8:05 ET. I lost a tough one in OT last night with the Spurs, ending my four-game playoff winning streak. I start a new streak tonight with my 15* Game 5 Showdown Play on the Clippers/Suns. In MLB, join me for another of my exclusive Las Vegas Insider Plays (4-0 start in May 4) plus a Triple 15* Report.

The Pistons lost last night 74-72, despite a “Guaran-Sheed” from Rasheed Wallace. The Pistons averaged just 74.5 PPG in their two-game stay in Cleveland, while shooting 36.3 percent from the floor. Detroit scored 35 points in the second half of their Game 3 loss (86-77) and then 34 points in the second half last night. Detroit was outscored 33-21 in the fourth quarter of Game 3 and last night they scored just 13 points in the final period (Cavs had 21).

The Spurs once again couldn’t stop the Mavs from scoring, as Dallas survived in OT, 123-118. Dallas has now averaged 113.3 PPG in three straight wins, getting to the free throw line an amazing 125 times (have made 102 for a .816 percentage). Devin Harris has been a key for the Mavs, as he was inserted into the starting lineup in Game 2. Harris has averaged 20.7 PPG (58.3 percent shooting) these last three games, after scoring a total of just 20 points in Dallas’ first five playoff games this year.

Duncan continued his fine play for the Spurs with 31 points and 13 rebounds plus Parker and Ginobili combined for 59 points but the Spurs still lost. Since Duncan joined the team in 1997, the Spurs are 0-5 when trailing this late in a series.

The Spurs now join the Nets in this second round (also down 3-1 to the Heat) , as teams facing a huge uphill battle. Just eight teams in NBA playoff history (163 series) have overcome 3-1 deficits to win a best-of-seven series. However, both teams need look no further back than this year’s first round, when the Suns did just that in beating the Lakers.

With all four series having now completed four games, home teams are 10-6 SU (7-9 ATS) in this second round with 11 of the 16 games going ‘over’ the total. Followers of the “Zig-Zag” theory got shut out last night (0-2 ATS), after opening the second round 8-2. Home teams went 31-14 SU (22-21-2 ATS) in the first round with 22 of the 45 games going over. “Zig-zaggers” went 19-16-2 ATS in the first round.

Tuesday’s games

The Heat host the Nets at 8:00 ET on TNT with the Clippers/Suns game following at 10:35 ET. Miami is favored by 6 1/2 points (192 1/2) and the Suns are favored by five points (216). The Heat lost Game 1 in Miami (100-88) but have since won three straight games, scoring an average of 105.3 PPG while allowing just 91 PPG. Wade has topped 30 points in all three wins (30.7 PPG) and Miami has shown decent balance.

Shaq has scored between 16 and 21 points in all four games, averaging 19.0 PPG and 8.3 RPG. Walker averaged 18.0 PPG in the two wins in New Jersey, while Haslem has averaged 12.5 PPG for the series. Balance and depth are two things the Nets don’t have. Carter, Jefferson, Kidd and Krstic are combining for just under 78 PPG of New Jersey’s average of 93.1 PPG in the series (that’s just under 84 percent of the team’s points!).

The Clippers and Suns are tied at 2-all in their series and meet tonight in that all-important fifth game. Winners of Game 5, in a seven-game series tied at 2-all, have gone on to capture the series 85 percent of the time in NBA history. That fact has been in evidence already this year, as all four of this postseason’s first round series that were tied at 2-2 (Bulls/Heat, Kings/Spurs, Pacers/Nets and Wizards/Cavs), were won by the Game 5 winner.

Brand has been dominant for the Clippers in this series (29.3 PPG), while veteran guards Cassell and Mobley have combined to average 32 PPG. In its two wins, LA has dominated the boards, outrebounding Phoenix 57-26 in Game 2 and 55-37 in Game 4 (even without Kaman). Kaman missed Game 4 with a sore shoulder and could miss again tonight.

The Suns shot poorly in both games in LA (even though they won Game 3), averaging 41.3 percent from the floor, including just 27 percent from the three-point arc. The team’s 114-107 loss on Sunday marked the first time Phoenix had lost a game in this year’s playoffs when scoring 100 or more points (5-1). Many thought the Clippers couldn’t win at the Suns’ pace but that hasn’t been the case.

Two-time MVP Steve Nash was just 6-of-20 in Games 3 and 4 (0-6 on threes!) and the Suns are down to a seven-man rotation. Can Phoenix make the proper adjustments (as LA did in Game 4)? No team has been able to win two straight in this series.

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Larry Ness is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League.
Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com/Larry_Ness.htm.